Coaching topics about Critical Thinking

Every coaching topic we answer under Critical Thinking. Each one opens the closest matches from the IX Coach practice library. Showing 300 of 810 topics.

Explain Your Reasoning
Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Separate the claim from its reasons + 7 more
Argument Objections
Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason · Ask what alternative perspectives would say · Use two-sided messages with a sophisticated audience + 7 more
Stop Agreeing When You Disagree
Map what you actually agree on before diving into the disagreement · Ask two genuine questions before you push back · Apply Dennett’s four rules for critical commentary + 7 more
Steelman Argument
Steelmanning · Find the strongest version of the opposing view · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy + 7 more
I Jump in to Rebut Before the Other Person Has Even Finished and I Can Tell I'm Arguing with My Own Version of What They Think Rather Than What They Actually Said I Want to Be Able to Restate Their View Well Enough That They'd Say Yes Exactly Before I Respond
Restate the opposing view before responding to it · Practice "Tell me more" — defer rebuttal until genuine understanding · Ask two genuine questions before you push back + 7 more
Falsification vs Confirmation
Falsification Thinking · Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence · Make your beliefs precise enough to be wrong + 7 more
Constructive Disagreement Work
Productive Disagreement, Made Practical · Map what you actually agree on before diving into the disagreement · Apply Dennett’s four rules for critical commentary + 7 more
Resolve Disagreement with Terms
Map what you actually agree on before diving into the disagreement · Productive Disagreement, Made Practical · Separate the people from the problem + 7 more
How to Resolve Disagreements
Productive Disagreement, Made Practical · Make repair attempts early and accept them graciously · Map what you actually agree on before diving into the disagreement + 7 more
How vs Why Tree
Distinguish diagnostic trees (why?) from solution trees (how?) · Translate the issue tree into a Pyramid Principle communication · Branch the chain when you find multiple causes + 7 more
Minto Pyramid Principle
The Minto Pyramid Principle · Apply the "so what?" test to every supporting point · Use parallel structure across every level of the pyramid + 7 more
Inverted Pyramid Writing
Lead with the answer, not the build-up · Use parallel structure across every level of the pyramid · Apply the "so what?" test to every supporting point + 7 more
Motivated Reasoning Constraint
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Set the constraint: what conclusions would you not accept? + 7 more
How to Argue Better
Steel-man before you rebut · See things from the other person’s point of view · Productive Disagreement, Made Practical + 7 more
Acknowledging Counter Arguments
Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason · Use two-sided messages with a sophisticated audience · Steel-man before you rebut + 7 more
I Have All These Confident Hunches About How Things Will Turn Out but I Never Commit to a Specific Call in Advance So Whatever Happens I Quietly Fold it Into a Story Where I Was Basically Right and I Genuinely Have No Idea What My Real Track Record is Because I've Never Put a Clear Prediction on the Line and Checked it
Make bold predictions — then check them · Maintain a scored prediction log · Pre-commit to resolution criteria before making a prediction + 7 more
MECE Structure
Group supporting ideas into mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive buckets · Build branches that are MECE at every level · Use proven MECE frameworks as starting structures + 7 more
Falsification Thinking
Falsification Thinking · Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence · Make your beliefs precise enough to be wrong + 7 more
How to Identify Premises
Surface the hidden premises · Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion · Surface and test underlying assumptions + 7 more
Structure Mapping Analogy
Map the relational structure, not the surface features · Use analogies to transfer structure from known to unknown · Argument Mapping + 7 more
The Minto Pyramid Principle at Work
The Minto Pyramid Principle · Apply the "so what?" test to every supporting point · Use parallel structure across every level of the pyramid + 7 more
The Moment Someone Says Something I Disagree with I'm Already Loading My Comeback While They're Still Talking I'm Not Actually Hearing Them I'm Just Waiting for My Turn to Fire Back and I Never Once Stop to Wonder What They Might Know That I Don't
Ask two genuine questions before you push back · Practice "Tell me more" — defer rebuttal until genuine understanding · Silent witness listening + 7 more
Falsifiability Thinking
Falsification Thinking · Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence · Make your beliefs precise enough to be wrong + 7 more
Falsifiable Hypothesis Business
Make bold predictions — then check them · Write the hypothesis before you act · Make your beliefs precise enough to be wrong + 7 more
Questioning Assumptions
Question the question itself · Surface and examine the assumptions you are making · Surface and test underlying assumptions + 7 more
Specify Falsifier
Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence · Falsification Thinking · Make your beliefs precise enough to be wrong + 7 more
Informal Fallacy Analogy
Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? · Test each component probability separately · Explicitly distinguish coherence from probability + 7 more
Pyramid Principle From Tree
Translate the issue tree into a Pyramid Principle communication · The Minto Pyramid Principle · Prioritize branches by impact and workability before diving in + 7 more
Unbiased Reasoning
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion + 7 more
SCQA Framework
Frame problems with SCQA (Situation–Complication–Question–Answer) · The SQ3R Method for Active Reading · Design a personal question list that matches your current growth goals + 7 more
Vague vs Testable Beliefs
Make your beliefs precise enough to be wrong · Identifying the Belief to Test · Make bold predictions — then check them + 7 more
Argument Mapping When Overwhelmed
Argument Mapping · Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason · Evaluate the argument structure, not the source + 7 more
Steel Manning Technique
Steelmanning · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy · Find the strongest version of the opposing view + 7 more
How to Steelman
Steelmanning · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy · Find the strongest version of the opposing view + 7 more
A Flimsy Study That Confirms What I Want I'll Wave Straight Through but a Solid One That Contradicts Me I'll Pick Apart for Hours I'm Clearly Holding Evidence to Totally Different Bars Depending on Whether I Like Where it Points
Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion · Consider the opposite · Evaluate evidence by its likelihood ratio, not by how it makes you feel + 7 more
Mckinsey Communication
The Minto Pyramid Principle · Establish a full meeting rhythm from daily to annual · Adapt to your manager’s communication style + 7 more
Universal Claim Testing
Explore the implications and consequences of a position · Use Socratic questioning to test each belief · Search deliberately for the black swan + 7 more
Values Clarification at Work
Clarify the concepts you are using · Values Clarification, Made Practical · Using values questions to deepen a conversation + 7 more
Steel Man Argument
Steelmanning · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy · Find the strongest version of the opposing view + 7 more
Kunda Motivated Reasoning
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Set the constraint: what conclusions would you not accept? + 7 more
Conclusion Driven Thinking
Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion · Test conclusions before acting on them · Surface and test underlying assumptions + 7 more
Gentner Analogy Theory
Map the relational structure, not the surface features · Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? · Use progressive alignment: start with similar cases and move to more distant ones + 7 more
Motivated Reasoning During a Big Change
Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Use temporal landmarks to create psychological fresh starts · Motivated Reasoning + 7 more
Issue Tree Analysis During Conflict
Issue Tree Analysis · Prioritize branches by impact and workability before diving in · Translate the issue tree into a Pyramid Principle communication + 7 more
My Beliefs Are All Hedged Into Mush This Tends to Help That's Probably Important So Vague That No Outcome Could Ever Contradict Them and I'm Realizing That Vagueness is How I Let Myself Off the Hook Because a Claim Slippery Enough to Survive Anything Isn't Really Claiming Anything at All
Make your beliefs precise enough to be wrong · Pre-commit to resolution criteria before making a prediction · Hold beliefs as estimates, not identity commitments + 7 more
Issue Tree Analysis at Work
Prioritize branches by impact and workability before diving in · Issue Tree Analysis · Translate the issue tree into a Pyramid Principle communication + 7 more
Motivated Reasoning Under Stress
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Notice when you are in soldier mode + 7 more
Issue Tree Analysis After a Loss
Issue Tree Analysis · Prioritize branches by impact and workability before diving in · Build branches that are MECE at every level + 7 more
How to Diagram an Argument
Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason · Argument Mapping · System mapping before explanation + 7 more
Socratic Questioning Under Stress
Socratic Questioning · Apply Socratic questioning to your own thinking (not just others’) · Treat not-knowing as a beginning + 7 more
Analogical Distance
Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? · Use multiple analogies for the same problem · Analogical Reasoning + 7 more
Disconfirmation Seeking
Actively seek evidence that would prove you wrong · Actively seek evidence that would disconfirm your belief · Deliberately seek out sources that disagree with you + 7 more
Disconfirming Example Search
Search deliberately for the black swan · Structure the analysis before searching for evidence · Actively seek evidence that would disconfirm your belief + 7 more
Cross Domain Reasoning
Transfer solutions across domains by mapping the structure of the problem · Map the relational structure, not the surface features · Use multiple analogies for the same problem + 7 more
Socratic Questioning Before Bed
Socratic Questioning · The three-question evening review · Engage in genuine philosophical dialogue + 7 more
How to Use Analogies Correctly
Use multiple analogies for the same problem · Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? · Use analogies to transfer structure from known to unknown + 7 more
Relational vs Surface Similarity
Map the relational structure, not the surface features · Distinguish attitude similarity from need complementarity · Compare two examples side-by-side to extract the underlying principle + 7 more
Devil S Advocate Thinking
Ask what alternative perspectives would say · Invite an adversarial collaborator · Black hat: identify risks and why something could fail + 7 more
Self-Questioning
Apply Socratic questioning to your own thinking (not just others’) · Question your own assumptions with Socratic rigor · Socratic questioning + 7 more
Falsification Thinking in a New Job
Falsification Thinking · Separate competence from performance · Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence + 7 more
Structural Alignment Learning
Use progressive alignment: start with similar cases and move to more distant ones · Compare two examples side-by-side to extract the underlying principle · Use analogies to transfer structure from known to unknown + 7 more
Analogy Learning Sequence
Use progressive alignment: start with similar cases and move to more distant ones · Use analogies to transfer structure from known to unknown · Build a bridging analogy from what they know to what they don’t + 7 more
How to Resolve a Conflict Between the Beliefs of Establishment Scientists Researchers and My Evidence
Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion · Invite an adversarial collaborator · Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence + 7 more
Richard Paul Critical Thinking
Socratic Questioning · Apply Socratic questioning to your own thinking (not just others’) · Surface and test underlying assumptions + 7 more
Observer Perspective Thoughts
Apply the outsider test: how would this look to a neutral observer? · Observe from multiple angles before drawing conclusions · Notice the noticer + 7 more
Empirical Disputation
Find the crux: the one claim that, if changed, would change the conclusion · Productive Disagreement, Made Practical · Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion + 7 more
Questioning Your Own Objectivity
Apply Socratic questioning to your own thinking (not just others’) · Apply the outsider test: how would this look to a neutral observer? · Conduct a subject-object audit + 7 more
Bold Predictions Testing
Make bold predictions — then check them · Treat forecasting accuracy as a skill that improves with practice · Practice probabilistic calibration by tracking your predictions + 7 more
First Principles Thinking Socratic
Socratic Questioning · Question what everyone takes for granted · The Socratic Method, Made Practical + 7 more
The Scout Mindset Before Bed
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · The Pythagorean evening examination (Hadot’s version) + 7 more
Situation Complication Question Answer
Frame problems with SCQA (Situation–Complication–Question–Answer) · The Miracle Question: Designing Your Life Without the Problem · Modify situations before entering them + 7 more
Consensus vs Correct
Clarify the concepts you are using · Get genuine commitment, not false consensus · Disagree and commit on two-way doors + 7 more
Critical Thinking Skills Practice
Socratic Questioning · Apply Socratic questioning to your own thinking (not just others’) · Build calibration reps with low-stakes trivia and almanac questions + 7 more
Structural Mapping
Argument Mapping · Map relationships, not just items · IFS Parts Mapping, Made Practical + 7 more
The Minto Pyramid Principle During Conflict
The Minto Pyramid Principle · Competing (assertive, uncooperative) · Transform the relationship, not just the issue + 7 more
How Do I Stop Being an Argumentative and Defensive Person
Steel-man before you rebut · Fogging · Roll with resistance instead of fighting it + 7 more
Consulting Frameworks MECE
Use proven MECE frameworks as starting structures · Limit Consulted to people whose input genuinely changes the decision · Build branches that are MECE at every level + 7 more
Profit Tree Analysis
Prioritize branches by impact and workability before diving in · Use proven MECE frameworks as starting structures · Issue Tree Analysis + 7 more
Meaning Through Relationship
Map the relational structure, not the surface features · Invest meaning in shared symbols and objects · Interdependence as a daily relational practice + 7 more
Argument Assumption Surfacing
Surface the hidden premises · Surface and examine the assumptions you are making · Surface and test underlying assumptions + 7 more
Dennett Four Rules
Apply Dennett’s four rules for critical commentary · Match your heuristic to the structure of the environment · Set explicit values-based rules for each technology you keep + 7 more
Scout Mindset Disagreement
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? + 7 more
Steelmanning When Starting Out
Steelmanning · Steelman objections to your own plans · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy + 7 more
Socratic Questioning with My Team
Socratic Questioning · Apply Socratic questioning to your own thinking (not just others’) · The Socratic Method, Made Practical + 7 more
The Minto Pyramid Principle with My Team
The Minto Pyramid Principle · Run a structured team morphological session · Use delegation as a development tool + 7 more
The Scout Mindset with My Team
The Scout Mindset · Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" + 7 more
I Want to Know Whether My Mind is Actually Anchored to Reality or Just to Itself and the Honest Test is to Look Back Can I Name a Real Belief I Once Held That Evidence Later Changed and If I Can't Think of a Single One Despite Years and Plenty of Evidence That Itself Tells Me Something Unsettling About How I Update
Review past beliefs for what evidence did and didn’t move them · Maintain a belief-tracking log with timestamps · State your prior probability before seeing the evidence + 7 more
Falsification Thinking When Starting Out
Falsification Thinking · Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence · Make bold predictions — then check them + 7 more
The Minto Pyramid Principle for My Teenager
The Minto Pyramid Principle · Build the child’s inner wealth narrative over time · Apply the "so what?" test to every supporting point + 7 more
Why Do People Think They Are Right
Find what is genuinely right about positions you disagree with · Naive Realism: Why Everyone Thinks They See Things as They Are · Recognize the perspective gap before responding + 7 more
Disputing Beliefs Evidence
Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence · Practice elenchus — cross-examine your own beliefs · Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion + 7 more
Analogical Reasoning When Overwhelmed
Use multiple analogies for the same problem · Analogical Reasoning · Seek analogies from maximally distant domains + 7 more
Structural Analogy
Map the relational structure, not the surface features · Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? · Use analogies to transfer structure from known to unknown + 7 more
Popper Induction Problem
Weigh disconfirming evidence more heavily than confirming evidence · Search deliberately for the black swan · Falsification Thinking + 7 more
Top Down Communication
Translate the issue tree into a Pyramid Principle communication · Communicate effectively with Dominance-style people · Default to asynchronous communication + 7 more
Comparison Relationships
Map the relational structure, not the surface features · Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? · Understanding and managing the lure of alternatives + 7 more
Consistent Reasoning Standards
Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Set the constraint: what conclusions would you not accept? · Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? + 7 more
The Minto Pyramid Principle Under Stress
The Minto Pyramid Principle · Inventory your coping resources (secondary appraisal) · Learn to recognize your challenge vs. threat physiological state + 7 more
Question the Question
Question the question itself · Replace "why" with "how" or "what" · Socratic Questioning + 7 more
The Minto Pyramid Principle in a New Job
The Minto Pyramid Principle · Use genius mapping in onboarding · Use delegation as a development tool + 7 more
Confirmation Bias Seeing What You Expect to See for My Teenager
Actively seek evidence that would prove you wrong · Deliberately seek out sources that disagree with you · Confirmation Bias: Seeing What You Expect to See + 7 more
Motivated Reasoning with My Team
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? + 7 more
The Scout Mindset After a Setback
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Recover from setbacks without quitting the goal + 7 more
Falsification Thinking on a Budget
Falsification Thinking · Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence · Make your beliefs precise enough to be wrong + 7 more
Issue Tree Analysis Under Stress
Prioritize branches by impact and workability before diving in · Issue Tree Analysis · Build branches that are MECE at every level + 7 more
Separate Argument From Person
Separate the argument from the arguer · Separate the person from the problem · Identify the triggering situation + 7 more
Dedre Gentner Analogy
Map the relational structure, not the surface features · Use progressive alignment: start with similar cases and move to more distant ones · Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? + 7 more
Finding Agreement Before Arguing
Map what you actually agree on before diving into the disagreement · Find the crux: the one claim that, if changed, would change the conclusion · Maintain positive tone even during disagreement + 7 more
Pre Decision Reasoning
Map the argument before you commit to a decision · Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start + 7 more
Double Standard Check
Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? · Recognize when contrast is being used on you · Check the Facts, Made Practical + 7 more
Assumption Mapping
Argument Mapping · Separate facts from assumptions explicitly · Surface the hidden premises + 7 more
Plausibility Checking
Surface and test underlying assumptions · Count the assumptions each explanation requires · Strip the narrative and restate as a bare frequency claim + 7 more
Argument Mapping as a Caregiver
Argument Mapping · Evaluate the argument structure, not the source · IFS Parts Mapping, Made Practical + 7 more
How to Question Your Own Thinking
Apply Socratic questioning to your own thinking (not just others’) · Socratic questioning · Use Socratic questioning to test each belief + 7 more
Argument Mapping at Work
Argument Mapping · Evaluate the argument structure, not the source · Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason + 7 more
Critical Thinking Technique
Socratic Questioning · Apply Socratic questioning to your own thinking (not just others’) · Examine the evidence for and against the thought + 7 more
Falsification Thinking with My Partner
Falsification Thinking · Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence · Default to the charitable interpretation first + 7 more
Productive Disagreement for My Teenager
Productive Disagreement, Made Practical · Use Plan B: the three-step collaborative conversation · Map what you actually agree on before diving into the disagreement + 7 more
What is Argument Mapping
Argument Mapping · Evaluate the argument structure, not the source · Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason + 7 more
Analogy Validity Test
Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? · Use multiple analogies for the same problem · Map the relational structure, not the surface features + 7 more
Engineering Problem-Solving Lean
Use proven MECE frameworks as starting structures · Map who actually owns the problem · Trim components to find what you can remove + 7 more
Steelmanning During a Big Change
Steelmanning · Steelman objections to your own plans · Recognize and recover from stage regression + 7 more
Mckinsey Problem-Solving Framework
Use proven MECE frameworks as starting structures · Use morphological analysis for wicked problems with many interdependencies · Define — frame the right problem + 7 more
Issue Tree Analysis on a Budget
Prioritize branches by impact and workability before diving in · Issue Tree Analysis · Use proven MECE frameworks as starting structures + 7 more
The Scout Mindset Under Stress
The Scout Mindset · Notice when you are in soldier mode · Direct focus to controllables only, especially under pressure + 7 more
Wise Reasoning
Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion · Motivated Reasoning + 7 more
Structured Thinking Before Deciding
Map the argument before you commit to a decision · Parallel thinking drill: all hats in sequence for a real decision · Notice which system is driving + 7 more
Falsification Thinking with Friends
Falsification Thinking · Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence · Normalize impostor feelings through selective disclosure + 7 more
I Keep Saying Things Like X Always Leads to Y or People Like That Never Change and I Pile Up Examples That Fit but I've Never Once Gone Hunting for the Single Case Where it Didn't Hold Even Though One Solid Exception Would Tell Me More Than a Hundred Confirmations
Search deliberately for the black swan · Weigh disconfirming evidence more heavily than confirming evidence · Actively seek disconfirming evidence + 7 more
Steelmanning How to
Steelmanning · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy · Steelman objections to your own plans + 7 more
Values Mapping
Argument Mapping · Use colors and images to encode categories and relationships · IFS Parts Mapping, Made Practical + 7 more
The Minto Pyramid Principle as a Caregiver
The Minto Pyramid Principle · The concentric-circle extension of ren · Use delegation as a development tool + 7 more
Safe to Disagree Team
Productive Disagreement, Made Practical · Develop challenger safety — dissent and challenge are welcomed, not punished · Appoint an explicit devil’s advocate role + 7 more
Common Ground Disagreement
Map what you actually agree on before diving into the disagreement · Map shared values before mapping the disagreement · Find the crux: the one claim that, if changed, would change the conclusion + 7 more
Reasoning Process Audit
Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion · Set the constraint: what conclusions would you not accept? · Surface and test underlying assumptions + 7 more
Outsider Test Reasoning
Apply the outsider test: how would this look to a neutral observer? · The Outside View · Weigh disconfirming evidence more heavily than confirming evidence + 7 more
Evaluate Arguments Fairly
Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? · Separate the argument from the arguer · Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion + 7 more
Argument Mapping After a Loss
Argument Mapping · Set the reference point before you introduce the loss · Zoom out from the single loss to the aggregate + 7 more
I've Broken the Problem Into Pieces but They Keep Bleeding Into Each Other and I Have a Nagging Fear I've Left a Whole Chunk Out Entirely I Can't Shake the Sense That My Breakdown is Double Counting Some Things and Quietly Missing Others So I Don't Trust That I've Actually Covered it
Build branches that are MECE at every level · Break apart perceptual chunks that may be blocking you · Identify what the narrative leaves out + 7 more
I Watch People's Eyes Glaze Over While I'm Still Setting Up the Background and by the Time I Finally Say What I Actually Mean They've Already Checked Out I Keep Saving the Point for the End and Losing Them Before I Get There
Lead with the answer, not the build-up · Suspend judgment for one conversation · Open with something unexpected to direct attention deliberately + 7 more
Asymmetric Evidence
Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion · Evaluate evidence by its likelihood ratio, not by how it makes you feel · Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? + 7 more
Analogical Reasoning Test
Analogical Reasoning · Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? · Use multiple analogies for the same problem + 7 more
Outcome Equivalence Test
Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? · Compare two examples side-by-side to extract the underlying principle · Adjacent-domain transfer testing + 7 more
Objection Testing
Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason · Ask what alternative perspectives would say · Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? + 7 more
Julia Galef Scout Mindset
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Hold beliefs as estimates, not identity commitments + 7 more
The Minto Pyramid Principle Before Bed
The Minto Pyramid Principle · Anchor the wind-down with a consistent starting cue · Priming (the 10-minute morning routine) + 7 more
Analogical Reasoning in a New Job
Analogical Reasoning · Use analogies to transfer structure from known to unknown · Use multiple analogies for the same problem + 7 more
Motivated Reasoning After a Loss
Motivated Reasoning · Actively manage the dopamine dip when a reward doesn’t arrive · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start + 7 more
Argument Mapping When Burned Out
Argument Mapping · Name which burners are actually on · Plan in seasons, not permanent allocations + 7 more
The Minto Pyramid Principle as a Parent
The Minto Pyramid Principle · Apply the "so what?" test to every supporting point · Triple P Parenting (Matthew Sanders) + 7 more
How to Sequence Asks Effectively
Frame problems with SCQA (Situation–Complication–Question–Answer) · DEAR MAN: making effective requests · Time the second ask: not too soon, not too distant + 7 more
Authority Bias Reasoning
Consider the opposite before finalizing a judgment · Evaluate decisions by process, not outcome · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start + 7 more
Fire Mindset
The Scout Mindset · Notice your fixed-mindset triggers · Hold beliefs as estimates, not identity commitments + 7 more
The Scout Mindset on a Budget
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? + 7 more
The Scout Mindset with Friends
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Apply the outsider test: how would this look to a neutral observer? + 7 more
How to Reason More Carefully
Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Map the argument before you commit to a decision + 7 more
Argument Mapping Under Stress
Argument Mapping · Use the map to prepare for known triggers · Evaluate the argument structure, not the source + 7 more
Functional Analysis Consequences
Prioritize branches by impact and workability before diving in · Map the short-term and long-term consequences of the behavior · For many decisions, going with your gut outperforms lengthy analysis + 7 more
Soldier Mode Scout Mode
The Scout Mindset · Recognize your schema modes · Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? + 7 more
How to Handle Recurring Arguments
Find the crux: the one claim that, if changed, would change the conclusion · Steel-man before you rebut · Practice "Tell me more" — defer rebuttal until genuine understanding + 7 more
The Minto Pyramid Principle When Burned Out
The Minto Pyramid Principle · Apply the "so what?" test to every supporting point · Set a non-negotiable floor for each burner + 7 more
Argument Mapping Before Bed
Argument Mapping · Map the argument before you commit to a decision · Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason + 7 more
Steelmanning as a Caregiver
Steelmanning · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy · Tend to yourself before tending to others + 7 more
I Water Down the Other Side's Argument with Little They Claim Without Proof Jabs Because I'm Scared That Stating it Fairly Will Look Like I Agree with it and That Fear is Exactly What Keeps Me From Ever Representing it Honestly
Separate steelmanning from endorsing · Separate the argument from the arguer · State your confidence level alongside your position + 7 more
I'm About to Lock in a Judgment and I'm Only Seeing the Evidence That Backs it the Other Side of the Case Has Basically Gone Invisible to Me and I Never Genuinely Try to Argue the Position I'm Not Taking
Consider the opposite before finalizing a judgment · Consider the opposite · Examine the evidence for and against + 7 more
If I'm Honest I Knew Where I Was Going to Land Before I'd Looked at Anything the Conclusion Came First and Then I Went Hunting for Reasons to Back it Up Dressing Up a Gut Verdict as If it Were Careful Analysis
Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion · Map the argument before you commit to a decision · Test conclusions before acting on them + 7 more
MECE Issue Tree
Build branches that are MECE at every level · Issue Tree Analysis · Use proven MECE frameworks as starting structures + 7 more
Pyramid Principle Structure
The Minto Pyramid Principle · Use parallel structure across every level of the pyramid · Apply the "so what?" test to every supporting point + 7 more
Analogical Learning
Analogical Reasoning · Use analogies to transfer structure from known to unknown · Use progressive alignment: start with similar cases and move to more distant ones + 7 more
Motivated Reasoning as a Caregiver
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Set the constraint: what conclusions would you not accept? + 7 more
Purpose Mapping
Argument Mapping · IFS Parts Mapping, Made Practical · Update the map as parts shift + 7 more
How to Detect Motivated Reasoning
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion + 7 more
Motivated Reasoning When Starting Out
Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Motivated Reasoning · Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion + 7 more
Cognitive Disputation Steps
Apply Dennett’s four rules for critical commentary · Run the ABCDE disputation · Examine the evidence for and against the hot thought + 7 more
Awe Signal
Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? · Signal importance explicitly, not through tone · Learn to recognize a bid for connection + 7 more
Analogical Thinking
Analogical Reasoning · Use multiple analogies for the same problem · Import a frame from a different domain + 7 more
Steelmanning on a Budget
Steelmanning · Steelman objections to your own plans · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy + 7 more
Charitable Reconstruction
Separate steelmanning from endorsing · Generous Interpretation · Update your attribution when evidence warrants + 7 more
Ad Hominem Fallacy
Separate the argument from the arguer · Complain about the specific situation, not the person’s character · Describe behavior, not character + 7 more
Steelmanning at Work
Steelmanning · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy · Counteract occupational sitting with deliberate after-hours NEAT + 7 more
Motivated Reasoning on a Budget
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion + 7 more
Cross Domain Analogy
Map the relational structure, not the surface features · Seek analogies from maximally distant domains · Use multiple analogies for the same problem + 7 more
How to End Arguments Well
Steel-man before you rebut · Separate the argument from the arguer · Make repair attempts early and accept them graciously + 7 more
Testable Predictions
Make bold predictions — then check them · Identifying the Belief to Test · Write the hypothesis before you act + 7 more
Socratic Questioning Cpt
Socratic Questioning · The Socratic Method, Made Practical · Apply Socratic questioning to your own thinking (not just others’) + 7 more
Steelman vs Endorse
Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy · Steelmanning · Separate steelmanning from endorsing + 7 more
Steelmanning After a Setback
Steelmanning · Negative visualization (premeditatio malorum) · Recover promotion-focus motivation through approach-reminders after setbacks + 7 more
Argument Mapping as a Parent
Argument Mapping · Evaluate the argument structure, not the source · Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason + 7 more
How to Understand Difficult Concepts
Use progressive alignment: start with similar cases and move to more distant ones · Use non-examples to sharpen concept boundaries · Build a bridging analogy from what they know to what they don’t + 7 more
Motivated Reasoning When Burned Out
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Recover intrinsic interest after it has been crowded out + 7 more
Ziva Kunda Reasoning
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Set the constraint: what conclusions would you not accept? + 7 more
The Scout Mindset During a Big Change
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Hold beliefs as estimates, not identity commitments + 7 more
I Catch Myself Arguing Against the Weakest Dumbest Version of What They Said the One That's Easy to Knock Down and Then They Dig in Harder Because They Know I'm Not Actually Engaging with What They Really Mean
Steel-man before you rebut · Steelman the opposing view before rebutting it · Separate the argument from the arguer + 7 more
Issue Tree Prioritization
Prioritize branches by impact and workability before diving in · Circle your top 5 without negotiating · Issue Tree Analysis + 7 more
Analogical Reasoning Problem-Solving
Analogical Reasoning · Import a frame from a different domain · Transfer solutions across domains by mapping the structure of the problem + 7 more
How to Evaluate Arguments Fairly
Separate the argument from the arguer · Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? · Evaluate the argument structure, not the source + 7 more
Motivated Reasoning Before Bed
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion + 7 more
Steelman Your Own Plan
Steelman objections to your own plans · Design decisions so they work even if some things go wrong · Map and stress-test your key assumptions + 7 more
How to Challenge Your Own Thinking
Apply Socratic questioning to your own thinking (not just others’) · Examine the evidence for and against the thought · Find a truth-seeking group that argues with you + 7 more
How to Evaluate Claims
Probe for evidence behind claims · Explore the implications and consequences of a position · Examine the evidence for and against + 7 more
The Scout Mindset When Burned Out
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Notice when you are in soldier mode + 7 more
The Scout Mindset as a Parent
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Cultivate a "yes brain": curiosity, courage, and resilience over reactivity + 7 more
The Scout Mindset After a Loss
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Notice when you are in soldier mode + 7 more
I've Got a Strong Opinion About This but When I Try to Spell Out Why it All Runs Together I Can't Tell Which Parts Are Actual Reasons and Which Are Just Me Restating the Conclusion in Different Words
Separate the claim from its reasons · Group supporting ideas into mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive buckets · Rate the strength of each logical link + 7 more
False Analogy Detection
Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? · Map the relational structure, not the surface features · Use multiple analogies for the same problem + 7 more
Parallel Structure Writing
Use parallel structure across every level of the pyramid · Compare two examples side-by-side to extract the underlying principle · Timed drafting sprints + 7 more
When to Walk Away From an Argument
Separate the argument from the arguer · Make repair attempts early and accept them graciously · Steel-man before you rebut + 7 more
Change Your Self Definition
Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Track self-stability over time · Update the self-concept incrementally + 7 more
Schema Building
Use proven MECE frameworks as starting structures · Survey the material before you read · Schema Therapy: Healing Early Maladaptive Beliefs + 7 more
Gentner Analogy Learning
Use progressive alignment: start with similar cases and move to more distant ones · Use analogies to transfer structure from known to unknown · Map the relational structure, not the surface features + 7 more
How to Argue Both Sides
Steel-man before you rebut · See things from the other person’s point of view · Find the crux: the one claim that, if changed, would change the conclusion + 7 more
Process Mindset
The Scout Mindset · Deliberately induce the right focus before high-stakes tasks · Blue hat: manage the thinking process itself + 7 more
Objection Handling in Reasoning
Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason · Set the constraint: what conclusions would you not accept? · Separate the argument from the arguer + 7 more
Solution Transfer Analogy
Map the relational structure, not the surface features · Transfer solutions across domains by mapping the structure of the problem · Import a frame from a different domain + 7 more
Scientific Thinking Everyday
Falsification Thinking · Break associative barriers through randomness · Actively connect ideas across projects and topics + 7 more
Steelmanning After a Loss
Steelmanning · Task 3: Adjust to a world without the person · Zoom out from the single loss to the aggregate + 7 more
Steelmanning with Friends
Steelmanning · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy · Steelman objections to your own plans + 7 more
My Conclusion Feels Airtight and Yet Something Nags at Me and I Think It's That the Whole Thing Only Holds If a Couple of Unspoken Things Are True Things I've Never Actually Stopped to Check Are True
Surface and test underlying assumptions · Surface the hidden premises · Surface and examine the assumptions you are making + 7 more
Resulting Bias
Consider the opposite before finalizing a judgment · Evaluate decisions by process, not outcome · Survivorship Bias: Learning from What You Can’t See + 7 more
Relational Learning
Use progressive alignment: start with similar cases and move to more distant ones · Use analogies to transfer structure from known to unknown · Map the relational structure, not the surface features + 7 more
How to Ask the Right Question
Question the question itself · Replace "why" with "how" or "what" · Make the question precise, not generic + 7 more
How to Disagree Without Fighting
Productive Disagreement, Made Practical · Map what you actually agree on before diving into the disagreement · Find the crux: the one claim that, if changed, would change the conclusion + 7 more
Awe Question Stanier
Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? · The Coaching Habit: Seven Questions to Be More Coach-Like · Steelmanning + 7 more
How to Evaluate Evidence Fairly
Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion · Evaluate evidence by its likelihood ratio, not by how it makes you feel · Structure the analysis before searching for evidence + 7 more
The Scout Mindset During Conflict
The Scout Mindset · Notice when you are in soldier mode · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" + 7 more
The Scout Mindset When Overwhelmed
The Scout Mindset · Notice when you are in soldier mode · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" + 7 more
Socratic Questioning at Work
Socratic Questioning · The Socratic Method, Made Practical · Conduct a genuine Socratic dialogue + 7 more
Curiosity Before Rebuttal
Ask two genuine questions before you push back · Practice "Tell me more" — defer rebuttal until genuine understanding · Apply Dennett’s four rules for critical commentary + 7 more
Motivated Reasoning in a New Job
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion + 7 more
Socratic Questioning in a New Job
Socratic Questioning · Conduct a genuine Socratic dialogue · The Socratic Method, Made Practical + 7 more
Issue Tree Analysis Before Bed
Prioritize branches by impact and workability before diving in · Issue Tree Analysis · Define the root question precisely before building the tree + 7 more
Steelmanning When Burned Out
Steelmanning · Outsource or delegate to keep a burner lit without your direct fuel · Self-soothe and signal when stonewalling + 7 more
The Scout Mindset When Starting Out
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Apply the outsider test: how would this look to a neutral observer? + 7 more
Socratic Questioning as a Caregiver
Socratic Questioning · Engage in genuine philosophical dialogue · Apply Socratic questioning to your own thinking (not just others’) + 7 more
Asking Better Questions
Question the question itself · Ask "And what else?" · Ask open-ended questions + 7 more
Steelmanning in a New Job
Steelmanning · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy · Use genius mapping in onboarding + 7 more
I've Done All the Work and Finally Know the Answer but When I Go to Share it I Drag Everyone Through My Whole Step by Step Journey First I Looked at This Then I Checked That and Their Eyes Glaze Over Before I Ever Reach the Point Instead of Me Just Leading with the Conclusion
Translate the issue tree into a Pyramid Principle communication · Lead with the answer, not the build-up · Work backwards from what the learner needs to do + 7 more
There Are a Few Ways to Read the View I'm Up Against and I Keep Reaching for the Flimsiest One Because It's the Easiest to Knock Down and I Know I'm Only Fooling Myself Because I Haven't Taken on the Version a Smart Person Would Actually Defend
Find the strongest version of the opposing view · Steelman the opposing view before rebutting it · Ask what alternative perspectives would say + 7 more
Changing My Mind Still Feels Like Admitting I Lost and I Want to Flip That to Become the Kind of Person Who Can Say I Used to Think This Now I Think That and Feel it as Growing Rather Than Caving
Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Update your view out loud when the evidence warrants it · Add "yet" to "I can’t" + 7 more
Restate Before Respond
Restate the opposing view before responding to it · Use it as a pause before a difficult response · Paraphrase to check understanding + 7 more
Thought Disputation Technique
Productive Disagreement, Made Practical · Apply Dennett’s four rules for critical commentary · Steel-man before you rebut + 7 more
Link Strength Argument
Rate the strength of each logical link · The Strength of Weak Ties · Lead with argument quality on the central route + 7 more
Structured Evidence Evaluation
Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion · Evaluate evidence by its likelihood ratio, not by how it makes you feel · Structure the analysis before searching for evidence + 7 more
Logic Tree Consulting
Distinguish diagnostic trees (why?) from solution trees (how?) · Issue Tree Analysis · Build branches that are MECE at every level + 7 more
Define Terms Critical Thinking
Socratic Questioning · Clarify the concepts you are using · Affirm before receiving critical feedback + 7 more
Evidence Quality Check
Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion · Evaluate evidence by its likelihood ratio, not by how it makes you feel · Structure the analysis before searching for evidence + 7 more
How to Structure Business Communication
Frame problems with SCQA (Situation–Complication–Question–Answer) · Adapt to your manager’s communication style · Establish a full meeting rhythm from daily to annual + 7 more
Issue Tree to Recommendation
Translate the issue tree into a Pyramid Principle communication · Prioritize branches by impact and workability before diving in · Issue Tree Analysis + 7 more
Popper Black Swan
Search deliberately for the black swan · Weigh disconfirming evidence more heavily than confirming evidence · Make bold predictions — then check them + 7 more
Reader Centered Writing
Write to the question your reader has in mind, not the question you found interesting · Lectio: reading slowly and receptively · Read one section at a time with full attention + 7 more
Steelmanning During Conflict
Steelmanning · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy · Recognize when to shift modes mid-conflict + 7 more
Combined Failure Analysis
Build branches that are MECE at every level · Test each component probability separately · Audit plans for scenario inflation + 7 more
Case Based Knowledge Extraction
Build a library of cases and reason from them · Elicit your own tacit knowledge by working through cases · Build pattern libraries through deliberate case exposure + 7 more
Confidence vs Certainty
Put stakes on your beliefs — even hypothetically · Distinguish uncertainty (quantifiable) from ignorance (unquantifiable) · Translate beliefs into bets to reveal your true confidence + 7 more
Argument Mapping with My Team
Argument Mapping · Evaluate the argument structure, not the source · Map the argument before you commit to a decision + 7 more
Falsification Thinking Before Bed
Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence · Falsification Thinking · Schedule a worry time earlier in the day + 7 more
Reinvent Yourself Psychology
Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Update and revise possible selves over time · Update the self-concept incrementally + 7 more
Welcome Conclusions Scrutiny
Surface and test underlying assumptions · Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion · Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion + 7 more
Steelmanning for My Teenager
Steelmanning · Steelman objections to your own plans · Distinguish steelmanning from sycophancy + 7 more
Everyone is Fighting a Hard Battle
Find the crux: the one claim that, if changed, would change the conclusion · Radical acceptance · Do the hardest task first + 7 more
Productive Disagreement When Starting Out
Map what you actually agree on before diving into the disagreement · Productive Disagreement, Made Practical · Disagree and commit on two-way doors + 7 more
Argument Mapping with My Partner
Argument Mapping · Share your own inner world to build the map reciprocally · Mapping your ideal self explicitly + 7 more
I've Locked Onto One Way of Seeing This Problem It's Basically a Such and Such and Now Every Conclusion I Draw Flows From That Single Picture and I Can't Tell How Much of What I Know is the Situation Itself Versus Just an Artifact of the One Comparison I Happened to Grab
Use multiple analogies for the same problem · Hold multiple maps simultaneously · Break apart perceptual chunks that may be blocking you + 7 more
I Wave Through Arguments on My Side That I'd Tear Apart in a Heartbeat If the Other Side Made Them I'm Clearly Grading My Own Team on a Gentler Curve and I Want to Catch Myself Doing it
Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? · Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion · Separate the argument from the arguer + 7 more
My Opinions Have Somehow Become Who I Am So When Someone Pushes Back it Lands Like a Personal Attack and I Dig in I Wish I Could Hold a View as Just My Current Best Guess Instead of a Flag I Have to Defend
Hold beliefs as estimates, not identity commitments · State your confidence level alongside your position · Hold models loosely + 7 more
Asymmetric Evidence Standards
Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion · Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? · Evaluate evidence by its likelihood ratio, not by how it makes you feel + 7 more
Diagnostic Reasoning
Catch yourself working backward from a conclusion · Diagnose before elaborating · Distinguish diagnostic trees (why?) from solution trees (how?) + 7 more
Counterargument Generation
Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason · Deliberately consider the opposite hypothesis · Steel-man before you rebut + 7 more
Structure Mapping Theory
Argument Mapping · Use hierarchy depth to signal concept importance · Evaluate the argument structure, not the source + 7 more
Source Independent Reasoning
Apply the outsider test: how would this look to a neutral observer? · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Motivated Reasoning + 7 more
Mckinsey Hypothesis Testing
Test branches by forming specific, falsifiable hypotheses · Treat the Hedgehog as a hypothesis that iterates · Run low-cost experiments on intersectional ideas + 7 more
Motivated Skepticism
Apply the same evidence standard regardless of whether you like the conclusion · Apply the double-standard check: would I accept this reasoning if it pointed the other way? · Motivated Reasoning + 7 more
Adapting Decision Frameworks
Use proven MECE frameworks as starting structures · Question whether the category you’re reasoning from actually fits · Diagnose the challenge before choosing the response + 7 more
How to Use Analogies
Use multiple analogies for the same problem · Use analogies to transfer structure from known to unknown · Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? + 7 more
Cognitive Bias in Conflict
Notice when you are in soldier mode · Default to assuming you’ve been misunderstood · Separate the person from the problem + 7 more
How to Listen During Disagreement
Ask two genuine questions before you push back · Practice "Tell me more" — defer rebuttal until genuine understanding · Be Interested: listen and show that you are listening + 7 more
Logical Structure Communication
Use parallel structure across every level of the pyramid · Use the correct I-statement structure · Group supporting ideas into mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive buckets + 7 more
How to Stay Open in an Argument
Steel-man before you rebut · Practice "Tell me more" — defer rebuttal until genuine understanding · The broken-record technique + 7 more
How to Change Your Mind Gracefully
Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Update your view out loud when the evidence warrants it · Turning the mind toward acceptance + 7 more
Testable Claims Practice
Explore the implications and consequences of a position · Use Socratic questioning to test each belief · Make bold predictions — then check them + 7 more
Argument Mapping in a New Job
Argument Mapping · Evaluate the argument structure, not the source · IFS Parts Mapping, Made Practical + 7 more
Falsification Thinking at Work
Falsification Thinking · Separate competence from performance · Rule out mind-reading and fortune-telling + 7 more
Argument Mapping During a Big Change
Argument Mapping · Map the argument before you commit to a decision · Update the map as parts shift + 7 more
Lead with Answer Communication
Lead with the answer, not the build-up · Channel attention to the relevant concept before the ask · Stay curious one beat longer before advising + 7 more
Analogical Reasoning After a Loss
Check for false analogies: does the structural mapping actually hold? · Analogical Reasoning · Build a library of cases and reason from them + 7 more
Steelmanning Under Stress
Steelmanning · Learn to recognize your challenge vs. threat physiological state · Pair the enhancing mindset with genuine stress management + 7 more
Falsification Thinking as a Parent
Falsification Thinking · Specify what would falsify your belief before you look at evidence · Identify the mistaken goal behind the misbehavior + 7 more
Productive Disagreement When Overwhelmed
Map what you actually agree on before diving into the disagreement · Productive Disagreement, Made Practical · Ask two genuine questions before you push back + 7 more
Argument Mapping for My Teenager
Argument Mapping · Evaluate the argument structure, not the source · Add the strongest objection to every major supporting reason + 7 more
Values Clarification with My Team
Clarify the concepts you are using · Define "important" explicitly as a team · Values Clarification, Made Practical + 7 more
Productive Disagreement Under Stress
Productive Disagreement, Made Practical · Map what you actually agree on before diving into the disagreement · Engage in productive ideological conflict + 7 more
The Scout Mindset in a New Job
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Notice when you are in soldier mode + 7 more
Steelmanning with My Partner
Steelmanning · Behavioral confirmation audit: how are you treating your partner? · Ask "How are we doing?" as a genuine question + 7 more
The Scout Mindset with My Partner
The Scout Mindset · Cultivate a scout identity: "I’m the kind of person who updates" · Apply the outsider test: how would this look to a neutral observer? + 7 more
Motivated Reasoning for My Teenager
Motivated Reasoning · Distinguish directional from accuracy goals before you start · Locate the autonomous "why" + 7 more
I Keep Spinning My Wheels Analyzing This From Every Direction and Getting Nowhere and I'm Starting to Suspect the Real Trouble is That I've Never Pinned Down the Exact Question I'm Trying to Answer I've Just Been Circling a Vague Worry Instead of Something Sharp Enough to Actually Work on
Define the root question precisely before building the tree · Define — frame the right problem · Climb the why–why ladder + 7 more
We All Kept Saying the Same Word Aligned Sustainable Whatever it Was Nodding Like We Agreed and Halfway in it Became Obvious Every One of Us Meant Something Different by it and the Agreement Was Never Real
Clarify the concepts you are using · Make the third alternative tangible with a prototype or model · Move to action + 7 more
I've Got Way More Angles to Dig Into Than I Have Time for and I Keep Gravitating to the Parts I Already Know How to Analyze Rather Than the Ones That Probably Hold the Real Answer I'm Searching Where the Light is Good Instead of Where the Keys Actually Are and I Need to Decide What's Worth My Effort Before I Sink Hours Into the Wrong Branch
Prioritize branches by impact and workability before diving in · Define the root question precisely before building the tree · Knowledge-boundary identification + 7 more
I'm Good at Picking Apart Everyone Else's Reasoning but When It's My Own Belief I Never Run the Same Questions on it I Just Feel Sure and Writing it Down to Examine it Honestly is the Part I Keep Skipping
Apply Socratic questioning to your own thinking (not just others’) · Apply the outsider test: how would this look to a neutral observer? · Question your own assumptions with Socratic rigor + 7 more
I'm About to Commit to Something Big and I Can Feel That I've Already Decided in My Gut the Reasons Are Coming After the Fact and I Want to Slow Down and Lay it Out Properly Before I Lock it in and Rationalize it Later
Map the argument before you commit to a decision · The premortem (imagine the project already failed) · Use commitment devices to make future behavior harder to avoid + 7 more

Or describe what is going on in your own words.